Rare case is settled by a plea bargain in Truro court

An extremely rare trial scheduled to proceed Thursday in Truro on prostitution-related charges came to an early conclusion when the Crown and defence reached a plea-bargain agreement.

As a result, Shawn Day, 31, of Prince Street was sentenced to six months custody after entering a guilty plea on a charge of living off the avails of prostitution.

“The facts are … that in February 2013 the defendant did accept $100 from the complainant to stay with him for one week knowing that the money was from prostitution,” defence lawyer Wayne Bacchus told the court.

The original charge alleged that Day “did live on the avails of prostitution of (his complainant) a person under age 18.” The woman’s name is banned from publication to protect her identity.

The age reference was struck from the guilty plea that was agreed to by the defence and the Crown, who put forth a joint sentencing recommendation.

Crown attorney Laura Barrett agreed, as well, to offer no evidence on a charge that Day had exercised control over the woman in such a manner as to show that he was aiding her to engage in prostitution.

The Crown also agreed to offer no evidence on two charges of assault against another individual that Day was scheduled to stand trial for in June.

Local justice officials said the prostitution-related case was the first of its kind to come before the courts in more than 20 years.

After the sentencing hearing, Judge William Digby thanked the complainant for attending the hearing and commented on the importance of participating in the process.

“I just hope at this time it helps Mr. Day understand the damage he does to a female when he does these types of offences,” the woman said.

“I’m sure his mother will remind him,” Digby responded. “She’s had a lot of sleepless nights, I bet.”

“So will his new fiancé,” the woman said, of Day’s girlfriend who was present in the court.

Day’s six-month term in custody is in addition to a current two-year sentence he was handed in February for possessing cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.